A shaded park at Avenida Primera y Calle 56, Parque Josone is the best retreat from the sun and sand in central Varadero. The grounds contain a small lake where rowing boats can be hired, gardens with flowering tropical plants, an outdoor pool, and several restaurants and bars with shaded terraces. The atmosphere is noticeably more relaxed than the beach strip — it's a place where Cubans from town actually come to sit and talk.
The park is large enough to spend a couple of hours wandering, and the food options here are generally better value than the all-inclusive resort restaurants nearby. Evening concerts take place on the lake terrace during the tourist season.